This invention relates to packaging trays, methods of packaging, and packages.
Vacuum packing is commonly used today for packing consumer goods. Such packing can be so called skin to skin, or skin to tray. Skin to skin packaging is where articles are packed between two sheets of thin flexible material such as a plastics film. Skin to tray packaging is where articles are supported in a stiff semi-rigid tray and the tray and articles therein are covered with a thin film. In some cases the interior of the package is evacuated prior to the film coming into contact with the film or tray, or articles within the package. One of the problems in the field of skin to tray packaging is that the number of articles which can be packed within a tray is restricted by the need to provide a clear space about the periphery of the article where film to tray contact can be made so that the film is adhered to the tray at the point of contact between the tray and the film. In processes which use pressure differentials to unite the film to the tray any void areas between the article within the tray and the base of the tray tend to cause the plastics material to be drawn into same resulting in a rupture or an inadequate evacuation of air.
Methods and packages used by others in this field are described in Australian Patent Specification No. 70181/83 (Grace), UK Patent Application No. 2041318A (Van Oordt) and Australian Patent No. 401097 (Oscar Mayer).
It is an object of the present invention to provide a packaging tray which will enable a number of items to be efficiently and economically packed in the tray.
Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the ensuing description which is given by way of example.